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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26609221">The Lakes</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/cruel_summer/pseuds/cruel_summer'>cruel_summer</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, F/M, Slow Burn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 04:48:10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,240</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26609221</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/cruel_summer/pseuds/cruel_summer</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>You have entered the competition where Prince Dacro chooses a woman to marry. Unfortunately, Dacro despises you and makes your life a living hell. One night he enters your room and let's his guard down, showing you his true self.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Draco Malfoy &amp; Reader, Draco Malfoy/Reader, Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy, Hermione Granger/Reader</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Lakes</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is my first Dacro work! I'm so excited to write this! Hopefully y'all like it !!!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>You closed your eyes and picked at the grass as you sat beneath a tree. The hot air filled your lungs, almost making it hard to breath. You could feel the people passing by staring at you. Their pitying eyes made it difficult for you to calm yourself and you really needed to calm down. You stared at the lakes in front of you, trying to forget what had just happened. Today had been the worst day of your life and to make matters worse you couldn’t even listen to the music that usually calms your nerves.<br/>
You sighed and could feel the tears forming in your eyes. “At least I didn’t cry in front of Draco,” you thought to yourself. The tears slowly ran down your cheeks, they had been held in for too long and you felt a weight being lifted off as they fell. It was like the windermere peaks were a perfect place to cry. Your dress slowly became soaked as the lake's small waves picked up.<br/>
“Are you okay?” a voice whispered behind you. You tried to answer but nothing came out, you shook your head defeated. Why bother lying when you clearly look so broken?<br/>
“Well Draco is such a self absorbed bastard. Don't listen to him.” The girl patted your back and sat beside you. If things would have been differently you would have agreed in a heartbeat but this was how things are. You turned to the girl and recognized her as Hermione.<br/>
“He was right though. I’m just in it for the money. I haven’t even made an effort to talk to him! I actually try my best to not be in the same room as him.” you sobbed. The whole situation was fucked up. You were stuck in a palace with twenty-five girls and they were all trying to catch Prince Dacro’s eye. There was no way to compare to the other girls either way. They all ranked high and you were nothing but a six, a waitress with nothing to set her apart from anyone else.<br/>
“I’m only here for the money too y/n,” Hermione said softly.<br/>
You shook your head, “you’re a five. You sing and play music. Nothing about you screams ‘I’m here for the money.’”<br/>
You cried harder as Draco’s words replayed in your head. You had been reading a book in the library with some of the other girls. You were flipping a page when you spotted Pansy, a two,  and Draco coming in. You quickly set your book down and had made your way to the back, but you weren’t fast enough. Draco’s lips formed into a smirk as he saw you trying to go unnoticed.<br/>
“Well look who it is Pansy. No other than the girl who only eats and reads. You’d think that she’d feign interest in me but no, she shamelessly makes it clear that she’s here for the money that gets sent home at the end of the week!” Draco had loudly bellowed. Pansy giggled next to him, cruelly looking you up and down. You remained quiet, not knowing what to say.<br/>
“And she has nothing to say,” Pansy sighed dramatically, she spoke as if you weren’t even there.<br/>
“Maybe I’ll send her home this week. It’s not like she’s even competing. She’s got no friends, not even her maids like her,” Draco spat as he and Pansy walked out. You had remained frozen, not processing what had just happened.<br/>
“I don’t understand what's wrong with him,” Hermione snapped you out of your thoughts. “He was so nice and sweet the first week.”<br/>
You nodded your head agreeing. The first day he had acted like a gentleman. He had complimented you all and had been so helpful. You wouldn’t be surprised if the queen nor king had no knowledge of his rude behavior. You sighed and decided that you had enough of the pity party; you stood up and motioned Hermione to go with you.<br/>
“Where are we going?” the brunette asked as you entered the palace. You raised your shoulders, yourself not knowing where you were headed. You passed the ladies room and felt the girls either glaring at you or giving you sincere smiles. You and Hermione ignored them and continued walking through the corridor. Painting covered the walls, past royal members looking down at you both. You finally got to your bedroom and motioned for Hermione to enter. You left the door opened, not wanting your room to get too stuffy.<br/>
Her eyes widened at the sight of your room. The walls were covered with books and flowers. You smiled as she took in your room. “I spent the first week decorating it,” you confessed.<br/>
“That’s why you wouldn’t come out.” Hermoine joked. You laughed and nodded, taking a seat next to the long window. Thinking back on Draco’s words, you haven't made any friends with the girls. Most seemed lovely and genuine but you couldn’t bring yourself to talk to them.<br/>
“Are you homesick yet?” Hermione asked as she skimmed through your books. You whispered a no and watched as the girl gave you a surprised look. “Are you being serious Y/N! Do you not miss your friends and family back home?”<br/>
“Well I do, but I write them all the time. I do miss my mother's food though.” you sheepishly admitted. She laughed and sat on the ground next to you. You waited expectantly but she said nor did anything. Your both sat there for a while, the silence making you both comfortable.<br/>
“You know Cho and Ginny have been eager to talk to you,” Hermione spoke as she messed with her hair.<br/>
“Really?” you asked in a hushed tone.<br/>
“Yes really. They were too scared though. No offence but you don’t have the friendliest face y/n.”<br/>
“You can say that again.” a familiar voice muttered. You both snapped your heads to the door and saw Draco leaning against the doorframe. He stood there with a stupid smirk on his face, making you want to evaporate. “Could you leave us alone?” Draco asked Hermione sweetly. She nodded, having no actual say. The girl smiled softly at you as she left you alone with the blonde boy. You could feel your heart race fast as he closed the door. He sighed as he watched you, it was as if he was trying to find the right words- you could practically see the wheels in his brain turning.<br/>
“My mother and father have suggested that I keep you here until next week. You are lucky that I do not have the liberty to take you out of the competition right now.” Draco reported. You nodded your head, unable to even look at him. “Y/N look at me when I speak to you.” He ordered. You did as you were told and saw him come closer to you. He kneeled next to you, keeping direct eye contact with you. His icy blue eyes skimming your body. “You should probably show more interest in me if you want to stay here Y/N. It’d be a shame to see such a beautiful woman with so much potential not take this wonderful opportunity to become a princess.”<br/>
He looked at you once more and left your room. As soon as the door closed, you let out a breath, not realizing you had been holding it in.</p>
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